walsh



J. M. WALES H.

STREET SEMAPHORE. APPLlCATION FILED FEB. 19. 19x1.

13 m 7 Patented Aug. 10, 1919.

WITNESSES: 4/

fi/S' ATTORNEYS.

v the guidance JOHN M. "WALSH, G13 PETALUIQA, CALIFORNIA.

senses-summarizes.

isifaom.

Specification oi Letters Eatent.

Application. filed. February 1? "QTY. Serial No. le -9, 90.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that i Jon): M. \Vsnsn, .l citizen oil the United 'tates, and a resident in. Potalruua county oi Sonoma. State ol lali't'ornia, have invented a new and useful 5'.reetfiicmaphorc, of which the following is a specification. 1

Mv invention relates to street signals for and regulation of traliic. An object of my invention is to provide a semaphore for the direction of trallic which may be permanently set in the pavement ot' the street at the desired location and requires no attention or handling.

Another object of my invention is to provide a semaphore yieldingly held that when struck accidentally it gives away, but immediately utter the contact reassmnes its proper position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a semaphore of the character described which is nearly indestructible and certain of proper operation under all conditions which may surrouml its use.

The invention possesses other features of advantage. some oil which, with the foregoing. will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form ot' my invention which is illustrated in the drawings acconqmnying and forming part of the specification. It to he understood that 1 do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation ot my complete semaphore partly in section. The device is shown installed in a street pavement.

Fig. 2 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of the signal portion or the semaphore.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the device.

My complete semaphore consists of a signal supported upon a standard. the standard being yieldingly held in an upright position upon a mounting set into the street psvesent.

cylindrical casing 1- is provided with a hang o about its top edge. To this flange attached by suitable screws 6 the cover plate? which forms the top of the mounting and whirl is flush or nearly so, with the street level; --Any suitable setting may he arranged for the mounting, out i prefer to the ball turned in the pavement make a simple excavation set the mounting at the desired location nd ot' the :=-2emaphore in concrete 8 which may he finished otl' flush or rounded up to form a low mound shown in Fig. 1.

Upon the cover plate rests the hall 12 which carries the standard 13 upon which the signal ll is mounted. The ball, 12 preferably of solid metal and quite heavy, and is flattened on its base, leaving a lug is projecting therefrom. The flattened area of the ball rests upon the cover plate, the lug 1b projecting into a conically formed aperture 17 in the center of the plates The relative shapes and sizes ot the lug and aperture are such that the ball may be tipped oyer upon its side as hereinafter explained and in the recovery movement the lug engages the sides of the aperture and in sures a proper seating oi the ball in the position shown in Fig. l. The lug; also serves to prevent lateral displacement of the ball.

ll'lcans are provided for insuring the recovery movement of the hall and standard to an upright position after being displaced therefrom hy being struck for any reason a passing vehicle or animal.

The bottom of the cover plate 'I about the aperture 17 is provided with a flange 19. This flange forms a seat for the compression spring :21 which near fills the cylindrical casing A flanged tic plate is fitted over the lowerend ot' the spring Ell and is connected to the lug 16 on the ball 12. erably this connection consists of a chain 23 and rod 24:. The connection should be a flexible one at the top, for when the standard 13 is displaced from its vertical position and over on its side provision for relative movement between hall and cover plate must be made. Nuts 26 threaded on the end of the rod against the tie plate 22 provide a simple means for adjusting the tension. of the spring 21. It is contemplated that this tension should be suliieient to cause the quick recovery of the standard 13 to an upright position after it has been displace In order to prevent the parts in the cylinder from rustii'ig, the cylinder is filled with a heavy oil, B.

At long intervals it may sary to clean out the dirt cuinulate in the settling spa-4 of the cylinder. ,This is easily by turning out the screws 6 and lilting up become necesi nch will ac- Prcll v recesses 27 usefulness the cover plate and attached spring. The heads of the screws 6 may be set on top in the usual way, but I provide the cover plate with to contain the heads of the screws. After setting the cover plate and turning in the screws, the recess around each screw'head may be filled with tar, rosin or comparable material to prevent the rusting in of the screws. This material is quickly chipped out when it is desired to remove the cover plate.

The standard 13 is formed iron pipe and preferably preferably of may be threaded into the iron ball or the latter may be cast about the end of the pipe. Two collars 2S and 29 are fixed at the top of the standard which may be of any suitable length, and the signal 14 is rotatably arranged on the standard between the collars, so that it struck the signal yields and turns away from the colliding object without injury. Preferably the signal is formed with a plurality of iarcs 3f on each of which is maTked the desired, legend and therefore its turning doesAiOt change the directive efi'ect ot' the legend? The edges 3:2 of the signal are heavily flanged so as t protect the 1laces'31.

It is contemplated that my semaphore will be installed at street intersections; to mark the boundaries of safety zones in streets with congested tratlic conditions; at car stops: and at other places where its is apparent. In such locations it \\'ill'-be struck morepr less frequently by vehicles. If only the signal portion is struck. it revolves away from the blow and the standard which may be heeled over ;upright position.

a small amount immediately recovers its In case the semaphore is struck squarely or actually run over, the standard is knocked over upon the street against the pull of the coiled spring 21. but it immediately regains its upright position as soon as the disturbing factor has passed. The semaphore is made without projections which would catch in the under parts of a vehicle.

I claim:

l. in a semaphore, be embedded in a street pavement, a cover plate for said casing, a signal standard having a flattened base arranged on said plate, means for preventing lateral displacement of said base from said plate and means for resisting other than lateral displacement of said base from said plate.

2. In a semaphore, a casing, provided with an aperture arranged on said casing, a signal standard having a flattened base seated on said plate, a lug on said base projecting into said aperture, and means mediately connecting said lug with said plate for resisting displacement of said base therefrom.

In a semaphore,

a casing, a cover plate provided with an aperture arranged on said casing, a signal standard havmg a flattened base seated on said plate, a lag on said base projecting into said aperture, a tie-plate connected to said lug and a compression spring disposed between said tieplate and said cover plate.

4. In a semaphore, a casing, a cover plate provided with a conical aperture arranged on said casing, a signal standard having a flattened base seated on said plate, a lugv on said base projecting into said aperture, a tie-plate connected to said lug, a compression springdisposed between said tieplate and said cover lat and means for varying the tension 0. said spring.

5. In a semaphbre, a casing, a cover ilate provided with a. conical aperture arranged on said casing, a ball having a flattened side seated on said base, a lug on said fiatteired projecting into said aperture, a

tie-plate flexibly connected to said lug, a compression spring disposed between said tie late and said cover plate, means for varying the length of said flexible connection, and a signal standard arrangedin said ball. a In testimony whereof I have here :to set my hand at Petaluma, California, iis 8th day of February, 1917.

JOHN M. WALSH.

a casing adapted toa cover plate 

